Former Golden Gophers star wide receiver Tyler Johnson was claimed by the Houston Texans on Wednesday, one day after being cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The 24-year-old from Minneapolis was an immediate target for Minnesota fans thinking Johnson would be an upgrade over Ihmir Smith-Marsette and rookie Jalen Nailor, who currently hold the No. 4 and No. 5 spots on the WR depth chart behind Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and KJ Osborn.
The Vikings were not awarded any waiver claims, though they did see Kellen Mond and Armon Watts, who were cut Tuesday, get picked up by the Browns and Bears, respectively.
In Houston, Johnson should have a chance to play a large role alongside the likes of Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins, Chris Moore and Phillip Dorsett.
Johnson, who had 36 catches on 53 targets for 360 yards and no touchdowns last season, is the third former Gopher on Houston’s roster, joining linebacker Blake Cashman and cornerback Eric Murray.
His final two seasons at the University Minnesota saw Johnson rack up a combined 164 catches for 2,487 yards and 25 touchdowns.
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